Rare, elusive predator — younger than 2 years old — found killed by vehicle in Florida

A rare Florida panther was found dead from a vehicle collision, the latest blow to an endangered species that’s now seen 26 deaths this year.

The strike happened on Immokalee Road just south of Wild Turkey Drive in Collier County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Panther Pulse database.

The female was about 1½ years old, the FWC said. She was discovered Oct. 27.

With about 120 to 230 adult panthers estimated to be left in Florida, 26 deaths amount to more than 10% of the population. Double the number of Florida panthers have been killed in the first 10 months of 2024 than all of 2023, which saw 13 deaths, according to Panther Pulse.

The “elusive” species mostly sticks to remote wilderness, according to the Florida State Parks website. But urban development has brought panthers into contact with humans, leading to fatal interactions.

Vehicle strikes are the number one cause of death for Florida’s state animal, according to the FWC. The agency said 25 out of 27 panthers killed in 2022 died from suspected vehicle strikes, and 19 of the 26 deaths so far this year have been attributed to vehicle collisions.

The panther population faces an uphill battle from the start, with only a third of panther kittens making it to their first birthday, according to the FWC.

The most recent litter documented by the FWC was decimated by a predator that killed two of three kittens, estimated to be less than 5 weeks old, McClatchy News reported in September.

To report a sick, injured or dead Florida panther, you can call 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922).

The fatal crash occurred in Corkscrew, about a 25-mile drive northeast from downtown Naples.